trend with the fab: ARM/multi-core for mobile/tablet-product driven :: 12" for analog/power-cost driven

ARM架構訂單湧入晶圓雙雄

• 2011-05-25
 
• 工商時報
 
• 【記者涂志豪／台北報導】

    　台北國際電腦展（Computex）月底登場，隨著第3季傳統旺季到來，智慧型手機及平板電腦等終端市場需求轉強，ARM架構應用處理器（AP）回補庫存需求大增，包括高通（Qualcomm）、美滿科技（Marvell）、飛思卡爾、德儀、輝達（NVIDIA）等AP晶片急單，已急速湧入台積電及聯電。

    　下周二（31日）登場的台北電腦展，智慧型手機及平板電腦等行動裝置仍是今年最熱門產品，隨著下半年旺季到來，近期終端市場需求湧現，ODM/OEM廠已宣佈新產品將在Computex後陸續上市銷售，同時也開始擴大採購ARM架構應用處理器。

    　在回補庫存需求帶動下，台積電、聯電12吋廠總算等到新訂單到來（見右下表），如台積電拿下高通Snapdragon、輝達Tegra2、美滿科技Armada、飛思卡爾i.MX等代工訂單；聯電則取得德儀OMAP4代工訂單，雙雄第3季12吋廠產能利用率可望推升到滿載水準。

    　晶圓代工業指出，日本大震後的半導體關鍵材料不足問題，現在都已獲解決，如今終端需求已見止穩回升，所以AP晶片廠才會擴大下單，普遍來看，台積電及聯電的12吋廠產能利用率，第3季將回升到95％以上滿載水位。

    　值得注意之處，晶圓雙雄第3季新接的AP晶片代工訂單，清一色都是特別針對行動裝置設計的新晶片，不僅雙核心或四核心已是主流規格，超低功耗也是主要特色，因此，主流製程已開始快速轉向支援低功耗及多核心設計的45/40奈米或28奈米，此趨勢有助於台積電及聯電推升平均出貨價格（ASP）及毛利率。

    　近期台股回檔整理，但台積電股價表現相對抗跌，昨日小跌0.3元，以74.8元作收，成交量為34,788張，三大法人合計買超8,404張。聯電股價走勢偏弱，昨小跌0.05元，以14.45元作收，成交張數為45,750張，法人賣超16,819張。

台積電12吋80奈米高壓製程 首獲訂單

• 2011-05-25
 
• 工商時報
 
• 【記者涂志豪、張瀞文／台北報導】

    　晶圓代工龍頭台積電日前董事會核准約16億美元資本支出預算，將部份12吋廠產能升級為特殊製程使用。台積電昨（24）日與LCD驅動IC廠旭曜科技共同宣佈，旭曜針對智慧型手機推出的高畫質（HD）LCD驅動IC，已在台積電12吋廠中以80奈米高電壓（High Voltage）製程投片量產。

    　智慧型手機生產的LCD驅動IC，為了提高面板解析度及增加影像資料傳輸速度，均內建靜態隨機存取記憶體（SRAM），所以需要使用12吋廠生產以降低成本。

    　旭曜與台積電合作生產的高畫質LCD驅動IC，採用台積電創新的靜態隨機存取記憶模組（SRAM block），相較於寬螢幕視訊圖形陣列（WVGA）所採用的前一世代SRAM，此一創新模組提供更高解析度及更快速的人機介面能力。

    　台積電日前宣佈調整技術發展策略，將部份12吋廠產能升級為特殊製程使用，代表未來台積電12吋廠也將開始提供類比IC、CMOS影像感測器、LCD驅動IC等非一般數位邏輯晶片的代工服務。此次台積電就是在12吋廠中以80奈米高電壓製程為旭曜代工LCD驅動IC，由於加入了台積電銅線互連技術，能夠較前一世代製程增加20％速度。

    　據設備業者透露，台積電12吋廠特殊製程需求強勁，包括為蘋果iPhone及iPad代工LCD驅動IC的日本瑞薩電子（Renesas），類比IC大廠美信（Maxim）及英特矽爾（Intersil），CMOS感測器大廠豪威科技（OmniVision）、索尼、Aptina等，均希望台積電能夠在12吋廠中提供相對應用的製程及產能，並已陸續與台積電接洽投片代工事宜。

ARM  (NASDAQ:ARMH) Reports Increase in Revenue

May 5, 2011 By Rich Harris

ARM Holdings plc (ARM) designs microprocessors, physical Internet protocol (IP) and related technology and software, and sells development tools. As of December 31, 2010, the Company operated in three business segments: the Processor Division (PD), the Physical IP Division (PIPD) and the System Design Division (SDD). ARM licenses and sells its technology and products to international electronics companies, which in turn manufactures, markets and sells microprocessors, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) and application-specific standard processors (ASSPs)-based on ARM’s technology to systems companies for incorporation into a range of end products.

The pie chart reveals the graphical presentation of quarterly revenue of ARM Holdings over the one year period. After looking at chart it is apparent that revenue has increased in the last quarter ended as on March 31, 2011. The ARM Holdings’s revenue showed consistent trend throughout the year in 2010. It started with lower revenue and closed at highest revenue in quarter ended as on December 31, 2010. The largest revenue for ARM Holdings was in the last that was greater by 3.34 percent as contrasted to third quarter.  The revenue in September 30, 2010 was $100.35 million where as it was $99.95 million in first quarter as on June 30, 2010.

The ARM Holdings produced net income of $21.54 million in current quarter ending March 31, 2011 which is slightly lower than last quarter’s closing net income of $29.71 million. Moreover, net income has decreased which led to decrease in EPS for the current quarter.

The company’s cash flow from operations (CFO) has increased to $176.93 million from last quarter’s ending cash flow of $68.91 million. This shows that the company is producing more cash than its expenses through its core business units which is a good sign for the investors.

Total assets of company mount up to $1.10 billion as of March 31, 2011 and it has also managed to maintain the current ratio. The company’s total equity is gradually increasing which depicts that company is going to have fewer liquidity problems and more funds would be available to invest in future profitable opportunities.